Dearest Sister
by Mango Marbles
Summary: "Mirror, mirror on the wall..." Sequel to Return.
1. Prologue

A/N: Here it is! There was interest, so here is the beginning of the sequel for Return. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Prologue**

His fingers ran along the cold, smooth stone. He traced the letters engraved like a madman. It was like a drug to him. After a few minutes, he would rise from his kneeling position, take a step or two to the right, and kneel down in front of a stone with different letters to start the same process with this one. After the first time tracing the letters, they would start to lose shape. They became faces and memories.

It was a cloudy day, or maybe it wasn't. The days looked the same to Noctis now. The garden had no beautiful flowers or mingling fragrances. Only the scent of her blood lingered in the air, reminding Noctis of his failure. Now, everything was dark, as if the sun no longer existed. _Why should it?_ Noctis mused. _What purpose would it serve now?_

Six months had passed since Noctis had returned to the living world with Gladiolus, Ignis, and Serah. Every time Noctis even thought of her name, he felt a wave of rage wash over him, pulling him into an endless ocean of hatred and guilt. He was drowning within his own mind.

The past six months had been torturous to Noctis. Serah would wear the dresses he tried to convince Light to wear so long ago. She looked stunning while draped in the silky fabrics that hugged her body. She was have her hair done up and accessorized in elegant curls. The jewels that adorned her pulled everything together. In Noctis's eyes, she looked like a goddess. She even wore the engagement ring still. Before he knew it, his arms would be wrapped around her and he would feel her lips against his. Then, he was reminded that Light was gone. He'd push away Serah and see her small smirk. She was doing it on purpose. She knew that this was tormenting Noctis in a manner that nothing else could.

It was Ignis's idea to have these put in the garden. No matter what he called them, Noctis knew what they were truly meant to be: graves. Two graves without bodies standing next to each other, one for Lightning and one for Prompto.

Prompto had chased after Little Light when she ran from the throne room. After Noctis had returned to the living world, Prompto was no where to be seen. There was only Ignis, Gladiolus, himself, and…_Serah. _Noctis had trouble even thinking her name without sneering. He assumed that Prompto had been trapped in Serah's hell since he was so far away when they escaped. The past six months have been devoid of the bubbly, silly attitude and loyal friendship of the blonde man. Noctis remembered Prompto's words during breakfast that one morning so long ago.

* * *

Prompto had just had his latest story proved as a bluff. Like any other time, he was upset by it. "Fine!" he said, arms crossed. "Then, I just won't tell you guys anymore stories. Then, the day will come when you're begging for my entertainment!"

At the time, Gladiolus had dismissed the blonde's words with a simple "Just keep telling yourself that".

* * *

Now, Noctis couldn't believe that his words were true. He would give up almost anything for Prompto and Light to return home. Noctis traced Prompto's engraving once more. _Sacrificed everything to help a friend._

He turned his attention once more to Light's grave. With so many things to say about one woman, he had trouble deciding what to have engraved for her. Ignis found the perfect quote for her from an ancient book. _Lightning: it flashes bright, then fades away._

She has faded away, but not from his memories. When he had asked if she found anything about her past, she replied with "I hope not". Now Noctis knew what that meant. How many times had she been within his reach, only to be taken away again while he could do nothing? Noctis clenched his hands into fists. _I'll find you again. Both of you._

Normally, Noctis would have to fight a lump in his throat. However, his tears had long since dried up. All that was left was hatred, guilt, and sometimes, if he was lucky, numbness. His father, King Caelum, had asked many times if something was wrong. He also asked where Prompto has been. Noctis brushed off the questions and in time, they were no longer asked. Even the servants rarely talked to him anymore. He didn't mind this, as he wouldn't have replied anyway.

Many days, Noctis awoke with the intention to drive Serah from this world, but he couldn't do it. No matter who she was, it would be no different than killing Light. She knew he couldn't, and she used it to her advantage. Acting as much like Light as she could, she tortured Noctis day and night. Knowing that she was always within reach while being unreachable crushed Noctis's soul. He imagined that he would no longer have a soul soon.

Wind rustled Noctis's dark hair and tickled his sky. "Noctis…" he could hear it whisper. It was always her voice too. No matter where he was, he could hear her calling his name so very faintly. At first, he would look around desperately searching for her. But now, he would only flinch or look in the direction the sound came from, longing to see her there, but knowing she would never be there. She would always be in his dreams, though. A sigh escaped his lips.

Noctis forced himself to stand on the gardens stone path, merely feet some the two graves. He couldn't remove his eyes from the unmoving stones. He saw a pink haired woman leaning against a tree nearby the graves. Her arms were crossed and she wore her white vest with her brown skirt. Even though her head was tilted down, Noctis could see the small smile he loved so much. Next to her, a man stood with a gun propped up on his shoulder. He wore jeans, a white shirt, and a blue open vest. With a grin on his face, he gave Noctis a thumbs-up.

Another breeze blew through the garden. Noctis heard heavy breathing and looked to his left. Running through the garden in a tattered, white dress, stained with more red than before, and with hands and feet coated in dried blood, was Little Light. When she was in front of Noctis she looked at him. For that moment, time seemed to stop. Noctis saw the terror in her wide eyes and her hair flowing behind her, down her cheeks, streamed black tears that left a trail of darkness on her face. She faded away. Noctis looked up to the tree and saw that Lightning and Prompto had faded away as well. "As if they were ever there," mumbled Noctis.

With a heavy heart, Noctis turned to face the castle. Taking a deep breath, he started down the stone path into reality once again. No matter how much he wanted to stay at the graves, there was business for him to attend to. No matter how much he wanted to run off and search for Light and Prompto, he wouldn't be able to without knowing where to start. _No matter how long it takes,_ thought Noctis, looking at the castle's doorway with determination. _I will find both of you and bring you back home._ Stepping through the threshold, Noctis returned back into the darkness of reality, leaving the garden behind. However, one voice still echoed through his consciousness.

"Noctis…"

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A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review!


	2. Chapter 1: The Plan

**Chapter 1: The Plan**

"Well, sitting here certainly doesn't help. Does anyone have an actual plan?" questioned an annoyed Lightning. She knew the others were having difficulty taking her seriously since she looked a ten year old child.

Without Serah, the hellish land that Snow, Sazh, Hope, Noel, Prompto, and Lightning were stuck in was rather peaceful. While it still retained its ominous atmosphere, there was no immediate danger to worry about. However, the world was slowly starting to deteriorate. Without Serah to keep everything running with her resentment towards the living that invaded her land, the souls trapped here could move on to the true afterlife. They could finally be at peace.

"How did you guys get here?" asked Noel. Even though there was no time here, it felt like they had been sitting there for an eternity, trying to find a way to send Prompto and Light back into the living world.

"Serah kidnapped me in the middle of night," deadpanned Light.

* * *

The experience was a strange one for Light. After looking for traces of her past, she had gone to bed. Restlessly, she turned over in her sheets. Then, again and again she rolled over, fluffed the pillows, and turned the pillows over all in an attempt to sleep. She heard footsteps and shot straight up in her bed. Turning she saw Serah standing in the middle of her room. "Wake up, Sis. You've been sleeping for far too long," she said in a sweet voice.

When she said that, it felt like Light's eyelids were very heavy and everything faded. She woke up in her bed. In her home that was in Cocoon. She remembered Cocoon, Pulse, Valhalla, everything. She looked over at Serah, who was sitting beside her bed. "Where's Noctis?" she asked.

Serah looked at Light, surprised. "Noctis? Did you have a dream?"

"No. Noctis, my boyfriend. He's the prince. I've been living in his castle for about three years," Light was a bit frustrated that Serah was here. She remembered Serah passing through Valhalla. Why would Serah be here? _Did I die?_ Pondered Light.

Laughing, Serah shook her head. "Sounds like the fairytales Mom used to read to us."

"I shouldn't be here. Are we dead?" Light became a little more panicked each minute, but would never let it show through her calm façade.

"Are you feeling okay, Sis? Maybe you should just rest a bit more. I mean, you did take quite a beating during your last mission. You were so exhausted that you've been sleeping for three days! At least your injuries were minor."

Light tuned out Serah as she continued to ramble. Everything was so real. It had to be real, didn't it? Noctis and his soft hair, his stunning smiles that made her heart stop, his laugh that made her want to laugh too, and his warm embraces. Somehow, she felt so safe in his arms, so warm. Never did she imagine that she would need protection, and she didn't need it, she desired it. She loved the feeling of knowing that Noctis would protect her and shelter her from the world.

Without anything to prove Serah wrong, Light lived with Serah. Snow always visited and he and Serah were happy together. Light went to work and she would notice that the citizens of Cocoon seemed progressively more depressed. It didn't really matter to her, though, because there was always one face that she saw everywhere. There was only one voice whose words echoed in her head. _Noctis…_

* * *

"Man, Sis, you make it sound so bad…" Snow commented.

"How else am I supposed to say it?"

The bandana man shrugged. Scratching the stubble upon his chin, he settled back into his chair. All of the plans he had suggested were shot down almost instantly.

"These two girls sent me here through the use of some strange, black magic," said Prompto in a calm voice. During the time he was trapped in Serah's world, he had become very calm. He no longer told nonsense stories or laughed quite as much. When he did laugh, it had become a humorless sound. Reality had hit the man with a child's heart far too hard and made him grow up. "Vanilla and Fang, I think their names were."

"You mean Vanille and Fang?" asked Sazh. "How's the little lady doin'?"

"Uh, fine. I guess."

"That's good. How did they get back anyway?"

"Well," started Hope. "They were never really dead, just in crystal stasis. So even though their bodies were fine, Serah pulled their souls here. When the crystal stasis ended, their souls were able to return."

"Good work, Director," Snow had managed to bond with Hope some during their time in the hellhole. The boy no longer held any resentment towards the man for his mother's death. He finally accepted that there really was no way for Snow to have saved his mother.

"Okay. So, how does this help us?" Lightning was getting more and more impatient. Just to see Noctis again, she'd try anyway to return.

"Well, Serah used mirrors to watch the living. I remember I saw her use one with a strange decoration to pull a soul here. She reached her hand through the mirror, and when she pulled her hand back, there was a soul in her grip," explained Hope. "Had Serah been like her old self, I would have asked her how it worked. Instead, I kind of ran away in fear," Hop finished, looking down with his cheeks red from embarrassment.

"All you need to return home is a mirror and a body?" Prompto asked. He stood up and stretched. "I guess I'm all set then!"

"Where is this magic mirror? Sounds like the fairytales my wife loved to tell Dajh," Sazh spoke with a forlorn voice.

"In the throne room."

* * *

Silence overtook the group. Ever since the incident, no one had entered that room or gone near it. It had become a taboo to the group because of the bad memories associated with it. Noel had told everyone what happened after Noctis, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Serah had disappeared. Lightning only knew a little of what happened. After her body was killed, the missing half of her soul returned to her. However, much to her dismay, she was still stuck as a child.

Snow abruptly stood up, knocking his chair to the floor. "Who cares what happened there in the past? The past is the past!" he exclaimed. He gave the group his best hero smile. "This is for Light and Prompto's futures."

"He's right," admitted Noel, who had grown closer to the hero during their time in Serah's hell. "Might as well get it over with, huh?"

The room still reeked of Light's dried blood that littered the floor. On the wall to the right, there was a rectangular object covered with a white cloth. Light pointed to it. "I assume that's the mirror," she said. "Serah was never good at hiding things."

Prompto walked up to the mirror, group in tow, and whisked the cloth off of it. The mirror seemed rather normal. It had a dark, wooden frame with a swirling pattern. "So, how do I make this work and what do I do once I get there?" he turned to Light. "You'll be right behind me, right?"

Light shook her head. "I don't have a body to return to."

Prompto looked at the depressed faces of his friends. "What do I do?"

Lightning looked at the mirror and concentrated on Vanille and Fang. When she touched the frame of the mirror, they appeared on its surface. "Whoa," exclaimed Snow. "How did you do that?"

Light didn't really want to tell Snow how she did that. Since Noctis left, her thoughts were filled with him. While wandering around, she found a mirror and touched the frame. When she did, Noctis appeared on the surface. He was walking to his bedroom and seemed really depressed. That's when it clicked in Light's mind. She could use the mirrors to watch Noctis and she did so almost obsessively. Often, she would yell his name at the mirror while tears dripped down her face. She didn't care that she was crying anymore, she was just overwhelmed by the feelings that overcame her when seeing him. Love, sadness, longing, but never betrayal. Serah was tricking him, he would never betray her.

Vanille and Fang were walking around the town outside of Noctis's castle. They seemed to be content. Vanille skipped beside Fang as they walked to wherever their destination was. "Why are you showing me them, Light?" asked Prompto.

"They're the only ones who returned to their bodies from here without Serah to send them back. I have a plan and they'll be the only ones you can trust to help in the situation. Unless you'd rather do it yourself, but I doubt that," Light explained while never removing her gaze from the mirror.

"What's the plan?" Prompto looked at the others in the room; they seemed to understand what she was going to say. Some unspoken arrangement must've entered their minds. Glancing at the somber expression the group wore, Prompto looked visibly nervous.

"I can't return without a vacant body to host me. You're going to tell this to Vanille and Fang. They're both skilled with poison and Vanille is a skilled healer, so she can remove the poison once I return to the living. There's just one thing you'll have to do first."

"You'll have to find a girl," Light hated herself on the inside, but she knew that it had to be done. For Noctis, she would do it for Noctis. Looking up at Prompto with teary eyes, she could almost feel the bile burning her throat in an escape attempt as she spoke. "And kill her."

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A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing! The reviews always help me push through the difficult parts of writing the stories.


	3. Chapter 2: The Preparations

Chapter 2: The Preparations

"You're joking right?" Prompto asked with a forced smile. After looking at the unchanging faces with their somber expressions that surrounded him, he knew. Light was being dead serious. "I can't just kill an innocent person. It's… It's just not right!"

Light refused to look him in the eyes. She knew that asking him to return and kill someone was heartless. "There's no other choice, Prompto." _Just another sin to atone for._

"I'm sure that, between the three of you, the girl's death can be made painless," she added.

Prompto nodded and rushed to the mirror. He stuck his hand through the surface, causing ripples to emanate from his arm across the mirrors surface. "Let's get this done before my will crumbles again," he mumbled before the rest of his body was pulled into the living world.

Light watched, slightly amused, as Prompto appeared in the world. He laid unconscious in an alley. As Vanille and Fang passed by the alley, they glanced over and saw the familiar man. They rushed over to help him.

Light turned back and faced her makeshift family. "Will you be coming with us?" she asked.

Snow shook his head. "Sorry Sis, but no. That would be quite a bit of needless killing to bring back us who've died a long time ago. Besides, we all know that you'll send Serah back to us. The old Serah."

The corners of her mouth tilted up slightly. "Yeah," she said. "I will, but are you sure you want to miss a second chance at life?"

"It's time for us to go to the true afterlife, Soldier Girl," said Sazh. "Besides, I'm itchin' to see my wife and son again."

"I want to see my mom," added Hope.

"There's plenty of people I'm waiting to see again, but none more than Serah. Set her straight again, Light. She needs to rest in peace," Snow requested.

"Maybe I'll find my Yeul there," Noel said, smiling.

Looking around at her family, Light felt like she was cheating them. By being taken to Valhalla, she had escaped death when it flowed into the living world. She had crystallized herself and helped the Goddess Etro recover from her near-death state.

Etro had never truly died, since her essence was part of humans. However, it helped more that Lightning had become part of the goddess herself. When she decided to protect her in Valhalla, the goddess bestowed a part of her life into Light. It was the only reason that Light could put herself into crystal stasis. It was the only reason that the goddess could recover.

While in crystal stasis, Light didn't dream. She saw reality outside of her body. She collected the goddess' essence and returned it to her frail form. When the goddess' strength returned, she withdrew Valhalla from the living world and back to where it belonged, between the living world and Unseen Realm. Humanity had a second chance to start anew.

_And I'm the only one who gets to take advantage of it. Even though, if I never disappeared, Serah wouldn't have died so young. What kind of guardian am I?_

A thought of Noctis kneeling by the grave Ignis placed in the garden for her flashed through Light's mind. _But then, I wouldn't have met Noctis either._

Serah has Snow, in life and in death. Lightning never had anyone, but now she has Noctis. To her own surprise, she found herself thinking that any number of sins she committed were worth it if she could wake up every morning and know that Noctis would be by her side.

In front of her face, fingers were being snapped. Light looked to their source: Sazh. "Your mind back on Cocoon, Soldier Girl?" he asked in a joking manner.

"I hope so, because it looks like they have a vacant body," Noel said as he gestured to the mirror. Prompto, Fang, and Vanille sat in a room with a bed off against the wall. On the bed laid a small girl. She wasn't breathing.

Stepping in front of the mirror, Light looked back once more. "We'll meet again."

"Don't rush it," Snow said as he put his big hands on Light's tiny shoulders. "No matter how long you're with the living, we'll still be here."

Hope touched the mirror's frame and the girl's body filled its surface. _Why a child?_

"What you can do it too? Seriously," groaned Snow.

"I'll teach you later, Snow. Right now, it's time for Light to leave," Hope tried to sound calm, but his voice was unsteady. Light was going to say something to ease his mind, just like she would when he was a kid. But before she got the chance to, Snow shoved her through the mirror. Right before everything went black, she could have sworn she saw her reflection aligned with the girl's.

"Off you go!" he merrily chirped.

* * *

She felt trapped, but the feeling faded rather quickly. She felt weak, but that feeling didn't fade. "She's waking up!" exclaimed a familiar, accented voice.

Opening her eyes, Lightning was greeted by a mirror being held above her. She was a child, still around the age of ten. Just like her soul in Serah's world. Blonde hair was strewn about her head and she looked very pale. Her eyes hadn't changed though. They were still icy blue. However, their ferocity didn't fit with the child's innocent face. "You can take the mirror away," Light said, but her voice was small. She sounded how she imagined the child had in life.

Light sat up. The mirror was removed by Prompto and he, along with Vanille and Fang, just looked at her for a moment. Personally, Light was a bit unnerved by their gazes, even though she would never say it out loud. "Did I mess up?" she asked.

Vanille's face lit up and she trapped Light in a hug. "Are you sure you're Light? You're just so cute!" she squealed.

"You three killed a child?" Light asked, almost in disbelief.

"The girl was dying anyway," Fang said. "If I had to guess, she would have made maybe one or two more days and then died anyway. We saved her from suffering."

"That bad, huh?"

Fang nodded. "Kid couldn't even walk. She had to use a wheelchair she was so weak. So don't be surprised that the body won't be what you're probably used to. You'll have to take it easy."

"So you chose her to put her out of her misery? The bad part of that is that I am stuck in a very fragile body."

"Don't worry, Light. We came up with a great excuse so that we can enter the castle and that body will help your disguise," Prompto had the smile that Light associated with him purposefully leaving out details. Leaving out important details, specifically. "And, to be fair, we granted the girl her dying wish," Prompto added.

"Which was?"

"To be adopted. No one usually adopts dying kids, but all she wanted was a family. Even if it was for a short time," A sad smile spread across Prompto's face. "She died happy."

_It's all for Noctis,_ Light told herself. She would live with being weak, because even if her body was weak, her spirit was not. Noctis would be her strength. _Soon, I'll have my body back._ Even if she never told anyone, she wasn't here just to send Serah to rest in peace. She was here to reclaim her body, also.

"It's a bit weird, though. The girl's eyes were this beautiful violet color, how come they became Light's icy blue color?" Prompto asked.

"Maybe Sunshine just has that much more kick in her," Fang laughed. "I mean look in those eyes, this kid is not someone you want to mess with. So much spirit."

Unwilling to show annoyance to Fang, Light changed the subject. Besides, she wasn't sure if Fang was teasing her or complimenting her. "What's the plan you were talking about, anyway?"

"Well, you have to be able to enter the castle and be able to stay there. So, the reason behind your visit has to be more formal."

"And?"

Fang continued. "Branching off of the idea of the reason being formal, we came up with a pretty good excuse. Let's say there is a new country branching off of Tenebrae because a large group of people in a similar region no longer support the ruler. According to Prompto, Noctis' kingdom and Tenebrae's kingdom have always had some tension between them."

"That's true. I remember Noctis telling me about that one time. They were almost at war with each other at one point. They're still doing all they can to prevent war from breaking out."

Vanille had a mischievous, knowing grin on her face that made Light focus on Fang. Was it that hard to believe that Light had a boyfriend? _Well more of a fiancé now. _She had seen the ring that Serah had. Knowing that it was meant for her, seeing it sent a small wave of sadness through her. She wished that she could say yes. When she returns to her body, she'll tell Noctis that she'll marry him. Just the thought was enough to fill her with warmth.

"Good, so you can see where we got that from?"

Light nodded and Fang took that as a signal to continue. "Well, this new kingdom wants to form an alliance with Noctis' kingdom. That's why you two are going to the castle, to discuss the alliance."

"And if they don't buy it?"

Fang had a grin and stepped into an adjacent room. She came back rolling a vacant wheelchair. "How could they turn away a dying kid who has always dreamed of travel? But travel makes her so tired that she has to rest very often."

"So I am a dying kid?"

"Exactly."

_Fate's pretty twisted. Kill a dying kid so that someone else can be a dying kid. Even if it was for the better, did she know that she was killed? Or did she think it was her sickness? _"Then, who's Prompto?"

"Let's get him his disguise and then we'll tell you the rest, sound good, Sunshine? I also have some finishing touches for your disguise."

* * *

When they were in their disguises, Light had to admit that they had done a nice job. She was given a red dress, it was very simple but very childlike. Much to her dismay, a matching red bow was tied into her flowing blonde locks. Her small black shoes shined brightly. While she sat in her wheelchair, Vanille added one more touch of childish innocence to Light's disguise: a stuffed Moogle. While she hated being so weak, Light had to admit she was glad the wheelchair was comfortable. If it wasn't, then she would be having a terrible time for the next couple of weeks.

Prompto had to have a few more adjustments than Light, seeing as he could be recognized by his friends very easily. His hair was cut and dyed a dark brown. Instead of his casual attire, he now wore a suit. It was a black suit with matching black pants and shoes. The shirt beneath his suit jacket was white. With a red tie pulling it together, it looked very classy. Fang took his gun away from him and gave him a finely crafted staff instead. All in all, Light thought he looked like one of the noblemen that would stay at the castle sometimes while on business.

"I think we've done all we can, Vanille," said Fang as she looked over Prompto and Light one more time.

"Yeah, they look pretty amazing!" chirped Vanille.

"Are you going to tell me the rest of the details now?" Light was starting to get impatient. To her, it had felt like hours that they've been sitting her. For all she knew, it really could have been.

Fang grinned and nudged Vanille with her elbow. "Think she's ready to hear it?"

Vanille laughed. "Yeah!"

"Well, Your Highness," Fang said as she mocked a bow. "Say hello to the newest king and princess of the imaginary kingdom of Abeo!"

* * *

A/N: My longest chapter to date! Light really takes the idea of killing for someone seriously. Thank you for reading and don't forget to review!


	4. Chapter 3: Ignis

Chapter 3: Ignis

"I've never heard of a kingdom called 'Abeo'."

"We've just recently broken away from Tenebrae's control. Because of this, we are not very well known. I am here to talk to the king."

"Are you the king?"

"Yes. My name is Cameo," Prompto put his hand on Light's head. "And this is my daughter-"

"Stella," Light interrupted. She hadn't discussed a fake name with Prompto, so she was afraid of what name he would choose for her. Instead, she made her own name.

Ignis bowed slightly. The look in his eyes said that he didn't completely believe the two. "My deepest apologies, but the king is in Tenebrae and won't be returning for another week or two. Please, come back then," he finished as he started to close the castle's door.

"Wait!" cried Prompto. "Please, can we stay here? My little girl has always been so sickly, but she's always dreamed of traveling so I told her I'd bring her with me. Her tiny body can't handle a trip back to Abeo so soon. Please, can we stay here?"

"Wait here," Ignis ordered. "The prince is in charge during the king's absence, it will be his decision." Ignis closed the door and retreated into the castle.

"He'll come back, right?"

"Ignis is a man of business, _Dad._ You should know that."

"Will Noctis let us stay?"

Light was hoping he wouldn't ask that question, because she didn't really want to know the answer. Will the only man she's ever loved turn her away? Would he be kind enough to let a man with a sick little kid stay with him, or would he be coldhearted enough to dismiss them back to the streets?

The more she thought about it, the more anxious she became. She had to start controlling her breath, or she knew she wouldn't get enough air into her lungs. She already didn't. Every time she took a breath, she felt pressure on her lungs, like she was trapped. A feeling of panic set in and it caused her to shake. She started gasping.

Kneeling beside her wheelchair, Prompto put a hand on her back. "Hey, are you all right? What's wrong?"

Even if she could answer, she wouldn't have had the chance. The door opened and both of them looked to see Noctis standing at the entrance. As if Light didn't feel well enough, the thought of him turning them away without caring filled her mind. But relief mingled in her senses as well. She felt the butterflies in her stomach, but she still couldn't obtain the air she so desperately needed. _Since when have I become so weak to anxiety attacks?_ She questioned herself. _Since I took this girl's body, I guess._

Looking up, Light found herself staring into Noctis's eyes. She had always loved getting lost in his dark irises. She almost missed it, but his eyes widened ever so slightly. The situation must have clicked in his mind as he was kneeling beside her in no time. Glancing at Ignis's face, she saw a strange expression. She knew that Noctis had been depressed since Serah's arrival, but she was glad that right now, he almost seemed like his old self.

He looked at Prompto. "What's wrong with her?"

"The journey here must have worn her out. I'm very sorry."

"Don't apologize for something you can't control. Follow me," Noctis said as he lifted Light out of her wheelchair and into his arms effortlessly. They were so warm. Light's breathing steadied as she listened to his heart beat in his chest. Never had she felt so peaceful, so happy.

While walking through the castle halls, he barked out orders to servants he passed. "Get a doctor immediately."

It wasn't long before Light felt Noctis setting her on a soft bed. Her breathing had long since calmed down, but it was insisted that a doctor see her anyway.

The doctor came and left, only saying that she should get some rest. Light planned on doing exactly that, no matter how much she hated herself for it. She couldn't stand being so helpless and weak, but it was for Noctis. The man who never left her side, even though he just met her. Before long, her eyes had shut and she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

She heard a small squeak. A voice spoke, "Excuse me, but I think you'll need this for when your daughter awakens." It was Ignis.

Opening her eyes, Light blinked a few times to clear her vision. She looked around the room. She was on a bed, Prompto sat on a chair beside the bed. Ignis had just walked into the room with her wheelchair.

"I trust you're feeling better, Princess?" Ignis inquired.

After a second, Light realized she was being asked. "Yes. I am. Thank you," her soft voice replied.

Ignis gestured at a vacant chair in the room, "May I?"

Prompto gave the okay, "Of course."

Light sat up in her bed and looked at the two men. "Relax, Princess. You don't want to go through everything again, do you?"

With a look of defiance, Light retorted, "That was no big deal. I am just fine, thank you."

"Forgive my rudeness, but I've never introduced myself. My name is Ignis. Prince Noctis and I have been friends since we were children."

"I've lost touch with my friends," Prompto said with a sad look.

"Maybe it is better that way, Your Highness. You see, the prince may act a bit strangely because he recently lost a close friend."

"You don't say?"

"It's quite true," Ignis continued. "Our friend… lost his fight."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"You know, you resemble him."

"I do?" Prompto asked with as much fake curiosity as he could.

Ignis nodded. "You really do."

After a moment of silence, Ignis spoke again, "I think it's quite the coincidence that one definition of your kingdom's name is 'depart from life' or 'die' and you resemble him so much, King…" Ignis faltered. "My apologies. With all the events from today, it seems that I have forgotten your name."

"It was an eventful day. My name is Cameo."

"Hmm. A king with a name meaning 'shadow portrait' from a country whose name means 'depart from life'."

"Is there something you're trying to imply, Ignis?" Prompto tried to intimidate Ignis with his voice, but intimidation was not his strong suit.

Ignis looked at Prompto with hope filling his eyes, something Light had never seen before. She felt bad for the man. "You're Prompto, aren't you?" he asked in a small voice, almost as if he were the child and not Light.

Prompto was at a loss for words. "H-how?" he managed to stutter out.

Ignis allowed a smile to spread across his face. "If you weren't Prompto, you'd have to be his twin."

Prompto sighed, "I'm so relieved. Being a king is really boring."

Chuckling, Ignis shook his head. "Who's the kid anyway?" he asked.

"Aw, you haven't figured it out?" Prompto taunted.

Ignis look Light in the eyes. She could have sworn she saw the recognition in them. "Light?" he asked hesitantly.

She clapped a few times. "Good job."

"No way. How?"

"Killed a kid and took her body."

"That makes perfect sense."

"It's the short version."

"Well, I have time."

"If you insist."

* * *

Light didn't remember falling asleep, but she awoke to the sound of knocking on her door. Looking around she noticed Prompto was no longer in the room with her. He must have gotten his own room.

"Come in," she said.

The door opened and revealed Noctis in his usual attire. For a moment, he stood at the doorway. Light felt wide awake and so warm. Her lips tilted into a smile. This, no doubt, was the best wake up call she could ever ask for.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," Noctis said. His silky voice made Light melt inside.

* * *

A/N: Lots of dialog. Thank you for reading. Please review!


	5. Chapter 4: The Price

A/N: I don't own Final Fantasy.

* * *

Chapter 4: The Price

She could get used to Noctis's voice being her wake-up call.

Shaking her head, she said, "Don't worry, I was waiting for someone to come here anyway. I don't know my way around here." It was a lie, but she had no other choice.

Noctis looked at her directly in the eyes and a small smile crept upon his face. "There's a place I want to show you. I know you'll like it."

She nodded and was about to sit up when he glanced at her wheelchair and back to her. "Do you need some help?" he asked.

No, she didn't but she nodded anyway. If only for a moment, she wanted to feel Noctis's touch again.

He walked to the side of her bed and picked her up off of the bed's silky sheets with such care that she swore he knew that she was Light.

"Thank you," she said when she was comfortable in her wheelchair. He merely nodded and starting to push her through the hallways.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself yesterday. Circumstances did not allow it," apologized the prince.

"Oh, no," retorted Light. "It was my entire fault, I'm still not sure what came over me."

"Are you better now?" Noctis asked with real compassion in his voice.

"Yes, thank you."

"Then, that's all that matters."

It hurt so much, being so close to Noctis, while feeling so far away tore her apart. There were too many questions running through her mind. There were too many scenarios.

Would she be able to get her body back from Serah? Would she be able to save Serah? Will her plan work? Will she doom Noctis to a life with Serah? What will happen?

As she was distracted, she never realized that Noctis had taken her to the garden, right in front of Prompto's and her own grave. The cold stone engravings stared back at her. Overwhelming her was the strange feeling of looking into the future. That, looming over her, was the sad reality that one day she would be buried and all that would be left is her name on a stone slab.

"Graves?" she dumbly asked Noctis.

"They aren't normal graves," he replied. "Neither grave has a body. They belong to two important people. One of my best friends, and the only woman I will ever love."

Silence coated the garden for awhile. Since the weather had been getting colder, the flowers were starting to die. Their sweet fragrance left the air. Light wasn't sure if the chill she felt was from the crisp air, or from the graves and Noctis's words.

_It flashes bright, then fades away._

She wondered how they knew to engrave those words on the stone. The words she told to a confused kid. She had tried to protect him like a mother would, just as she tried to do for Serah. Some mother she was, she failed both of her 'kids'.

"I'm sorry," Light mumbled. Hearing his pain caused her pain as well.

"Actually, it's all right," he said, looking at her with a smile. "I really should have these graves removed."

Light was slightly insulted. Did he want to get rid of his memory of her? "Why?"

"You should know," he started, and Light was immediately confused. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug before continuing. "Shouldn't you, Light?"

"H-how did you know?" Light was shocked, but she felt so warm. When Noctis was near her, she felt so safe.

Releasing her from his hug, he looked into her eyes with the biggest smile he's had since she had been watching him. "I could never forget your eyes."

Lightning remembered how Noctis would stare at her during dates. _'What are you staring at?' _she'd ask him.

'_Your eyes,' _he'd reply. _'I've never seen any like them before. They're so full of strength, but I feel as if they're trying to suck me into an ocean. Somehow, I wouldn't mind being trapped in them."_

Lightning never knew how to respond to his compliment.

Noctis's smile faded. "How are we going to get you back in your body?"

Light chuckled. "You aren't concerned with how we got back here?"

Shrugging, Noctis said, "I am, but we'll have plenty of time to talk about that when Serah is gone. And plenty of time for more than hugging…"

"Because I look like a child?"

Noctis rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, it'd be bad if someone saw that. I wouldn't be a very respected prince anymore. But enough of that, what's the plan to get your body back?"

"There are a few things I need you, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Prompto to do. Everything else, I have to do myself."

"Just name it. We'll do anything we can to help."

"First," she started. "I need you to get Serah into a room that no one will look in for a few hours. Make sure that Ignis, Gladiolus, and Prompto are in there too."

Looking at Noctis to make sure he was following, she received a curt nod. "You will need to wheel me in. When I enter, Serah is to be restrained."

"Is that all?"

"No, there's one more thing." Light looked over at her grave forlornly. With new determination filling her eyes, she turned back to face Noctis. "I'll need a vial of poison. Cyanide would be the best, but if it acts quick, it can be anything you have."

Noctis's eyes filled with grim realization. "I understand."

Noctis stood and started wheeling Light back into the castle to set her plan in motion.

"Noctis," she whispered.

"Yes, my love?"

"No matter what happens, do not release your grip on Serah. You'll just have to trust me."

"Don't worry, I do trust you," he spoke without hesitation. She knew he trusted her more than most people, maybe more than anyone else. Over and over again, she played out every possible outcome for her plan.

An hour later, Light sat in front of a closed door. With a vial in her small hands, she nodded to Noctis. He returned the gesture and knocked on the door twice. From inside Light could hear Serah yelling something.

Opening the door, Noctis pushed Light through its threshold. Serah was struggling in the grips of the three men. "Let me go!" she cried. "What are you doing?"

Serah finally turned her attention to the visitors. For a moment, she settled her gaze on Light and stopped flailing. "Who… No…"

"Yes," Light felt strange looking at herself. She knew Serah was in there, but she didn't belong there. "No more games, Serah."

"Light?" her voice sounded so small.

Light didn't reply. Instead, she pulled the cork out of the vial. Serah must have noticed this, as she started to flail again. "What's in there?" she cried out. "No! No!"

Inside, it broke Light's heart to hear her sister's desperate cries. _She's not Serah anymore. Serah died a long time ago, _she told herself.

Taking deep breaths, Light focused on a part of herself that reawakened after she had her memories back, the part that defied life and death. The part of her that connected her to Etro. _The goddess and I are intertwined forever._ Even if she had been released from Valhalla, the part of Etro that the goddess infused in her servant would remain.

* * *

"Lightning, it's time for you to leave Valhalla."

"No," the girl in question replied. "I'm here to serve you. I'll stay."

The goddess sighed. "I took your future away from you. It's time for a new future."

"You gave a part of yourself to me, now we're connected forever. I belong in Valhalla now."

"Child, I can hear the sadness in your voice that you try to hide. I can see the longing in your eyes when you watch the timeline. You long to be among the living once again."

"I do what's best for everyone, not what's best for myself."

"It's time you find happiness," the goddess said as she opened a gate. "Live out the remainder of your life. Then, when your time comes, we'll meet again. At that point, if you truly want to stay here, you may. But, if you want, you can join your friends and family in the Unseen Realm."

Resigning to Etro's gentle voice, Light let herself be guided into the gate. As she fell through the timeline, she could hear Etro's voice one last time.

"My dear Lightning, your service to me… is complete."

* * *

When she finally felt the divine strength coursing through her body, she looked Serah in the eyes. Immediately, Serah stopped squirming, but tears streamed down her face from her fear.

Light lifted the vial and Serah's tears fell quicker. She sniffled and dropped her head to face the floor.

Then, before anyone could interfere, Light put the vial to her lips and drank the contents.

Hearing the gasps, Light knew they expected her to make Serah drink the poison. Within moments, she felt Noctis's hand on her arm. "Light?" he yelled in disbelief. Then, Light almost missed his next words for they were spoken so softly. "Why would you?"

Everything stopped. Her mind, her body. She was wrapped in darkness. Her strength still enveloped her. Like the pulse of a beating heart, her spirited emanated waves of energy. Slowly, her soul, once trapped in the form of a child, grew into an adult. Her hair lengthened, she felt armor cover her skin, and she felt her shield on her left arm.

The darkness gave way to a light. Placing her feet on invisible ground, she walked towards the light. Going through the light, she entered the room with Noctis, her friends, and Serah. Light broke away from the body she used and took a few steps away from the child's corpse. A collective gasp echoed in the room. She was looked at with surprise, fear, and, from Noctis, love.

Serah started to shake as she looked at Light's new form. "Light, don't send me away," she begged.

"You've left me no choice."

* * *

A/N: I'm sorry I took so long to update! I just have no motivation to write right now. Let's get some reviews to change that!

We're drawing close to the end now, also. What will happen?


	6. Chapter 5: Time

Chapter 5: Time

While in reality the tension in the air lasted merely seconds, it felt like hours to everyone present in the room. Lightning stood facing Serah, clad in silver armor with a sword and shield present she looked dangerous. Her hair was pinker and her eyes more vibrant than anyone in the room had ever seen. A sash of feathers trailed down the side of her left leg, the delicate material brushed against her skin and left a tingling feeling.

She stood in the middle of a green, glowing clock's image on the ground. As the second hand moved around to each number, loud ticks reverberated through the room. "Serah, I'm doing this for your own good," said Lightning in an unusually cold manner as she settled into a battle stance, sword pointed at her beloved little sister.

Silently shaking her head, Serah allowed more and more tears to stream down her face. No more words would come out of the girl's mouth. Light knew that Serah didn't have power here, this wasn't her domain. This was now Light's domain. She was no longer restricted to a child's form and strength. She had her strength back, the strength of Goddess Etro.

In a fluid motion, Light swept her sword back and stabbed it forward, momentum guiding her to Serah's shaking and restrained form. The sword pierced through her. A strange feeling encompassed Light as she had just stabbed herself technically. Her body went limp in the grips of the three men, who had a panicked expression on their faces. To their surprise, there were no visible wounds left on her body.

Serah, whose spirit was forced from her body, collapsed to her knees. She was trembling in fear and stared wide-eyed at her sister.

"It's time," Lightning said calmly as she dismissed her sword. The hands of the clock beneath her struck thirteen and the sisters were swept away in a flash of green light.

* * *

Lightning approached Serah, who stood at the edge of the balcony of the goddess's tower. Every step she took resounded the metallic sound originating from her boots.

Taking her place beside her little sister, Light allowed her gaze to roam over the familiar sight of Valhalla.

With a sigh, Light looked at Serah, who kept her gaze forwards. "Serah," she began in a cold tone.

"Here to lecture me?"

Light's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Serah finally looked at Light, she had tears streaming down her face still, but a sad smile had taken the place of her deep frown that parted for her wails. Her deep, blue eyes held acceptance, Light assumed that Valhalla had let her see what she had become. "Because that's what you would always do when we were little and I messed up: lecture me," she said, like it was obvious.

"No, Serah," Light spoke in a harsher tone now. "Why did you do it?" she enunciated each word carefully.

Serah shook her head, "If you think it was out of hatred, please don't. Not even for second, I never hated you. I love you, Light. You're my only family."

Light's tone softened slightly, "Then why would you do the things you did? You must have known that they were taking away my happiness."

Serah turned to look at the grayness of Valhalla. "You would think that being able to see the timeline would be amazing. To have so much knowledge would thrill people. But the truth is, it's horrifying. One vision after another, knowing that one would eventually kill you."

Light knew this. She had to watch Serah from Valhalla as she traveled through so many times and places, just to be with her again: just to have a family again.

"Then, I did die. I was lost and confused. Eventually, I was able to find you again. You were with Noctis… You were so happy. I had never seen you so happy, not since you joined the Guardian Corps. You didn't even remember me."

As Serah spoke, Light began to feel guilty. Her guts twisted inside of her and weighed her down. She wanted to throw up. She knew that she had become cold to her little sister as they grew up. Before the Purge, Light had planned to make amends with her little sister. She never got the chance to.

"It was so unfair, I thought. Why did Noctis get to spend so much time with you, when your little sister saw you, her only family, as a complete stranger? Eventually, I let the jealousy I held towards Noctis turn into anger. I slowly became a monster and soon had no conscious willpower. My anger guided me."

"Serah…"

Serah shook her head and smiled softly at Light, "Can I just ask one question?"

Light nodded.

"Back when I asked you if we would ever be together again, did you already know we wouldn't be?"

Inside Light, the intense feeling of guilt flared again. She knew she neglected her sister, but didn't do anything about it. "Yeah," she muttered with her stomach clenched in a knot.

Lightning thought back to the past three years she spent with Noctis, they were the best years of her life. But now, when she thought about it, it brought new waves of guilt.

"We could be together now…" Light said, no matter how much she hated the idea, she would do it for Serah. Maybe it would make up for all the times she ignored her sister. Besides, Valhalla was a midpoint between life and death. She was half-dead just being in the gray, deserted land.

"We both know you don't want that."

"I'm sorry," Light said. She really was sorry. Never, had she imagined a day where she would choose a man over her little sister. But the day was here.

"No, Light. I know what it's like to be in love," Serah winked at her sister, her tears had stopped. "I am engaged to Snow after all."

Light noticed how Serah's expression became dramatically depressed. "Do… you think Snow will still love me? After all I've done?" she hesitantly asked.

Light chuckled, "He sent me off with a mission, Serah. To send you back home to him." The older Farron gently put a hand on her sister's back. "That oaf will love you even after time ends."

Light looked behind her and noticed that she and Serah had some visitors. Snow ran up behind Serah and picked her up in a behemoth hug. Noel, Hope, and Sazh watched with smiles.

"Snow!" Serah cried in joy. The two shared a kiss, ignoring the gazes trained on them. Light felt a pain in her heart. _Noctis…_

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Light turned and was met by Sazh. The old man smirked. "Looks like Soldier Girl misses her prince."

Light laughed and gently brushed off Sazh's hand. "I'm fine," she stated.

"Uh oh, Light. You don't want to keep a man waiting," Snow advised. "Serah kept me waiting long enough," he winked at the girl he spoke of.

Serah blushed and mumbled, "Sorry."

Snow pat her head a few times with his hero grin spread across his face. "Light, thank you."

Looking at her sister's happy expression, Light couldn't help but smile as well. "Don't thank me seeing her happy is as important to me as it is to you."

Serah stepped up beside her sister. "And your happiness," she said with exaggerated hand gestures. "Is important to me."

Serah led Light to the edge of the balcony. When she looked down, Light saw a time gate waiting at the bottom of the tower. Involuntarily, a smile spread on Light's face. She turned to face her family with guilt twisting in her stomach. "I…"

Hope cut her off. "If you're about to apologize for leaving us, don't."

"Then, I'll say goodbye instead," she said with a nod to each member of her family standing there.

"No…" Serah mused. "Just 'see you later'."

"Keep an eye on Vanille and Fang for us."

"Make sure you give that little girl a proper burial."

"You might want to remove the tombstones for Prompto and yourself, they're a little unnecessary now."

"Don't even think of coming to join us early, you should know that time doesn't flow naturally past death. We'll see each other again before you know it."

Their voices surrounded Light as they gave her their final pieces of advice. After a few minutes, they weren't distinct voices. They were only one voice: the voice of her family. But as she looked at Hope, Noel, Sazh, Snow, and Serah, she realized that this wasn't her whole family. Fang and Vanille were missing, but so were Prompto, Gladiolus, Ignis, and Noctis. One day, they would all be a family together.

"All right. All right," Serah chided. "She gets it." She turned towards Light and gave her a hug. "We'll always be watching over you, so live a happy life for all of us," she whispered only loud enough for Light to hear.

Returning the hug, Light nodded. "Yeah," she whispered. "Wait for the rest of us to join you guys before you do anything too fun," Light joked.

Serah giggled. "You got it." Breaking away from the hug, Serah had a mischievous grin on her face. "Snow," she said.

The large man quickly stepped beside his petite fiancée. "Is it time?" he asked.

"Sure is," Serah replied.

The man nodded and turned his attention to Light. "Sorry Sis," he said before he pushed Light off of the balcony towards the time gate.

As she fell, the weight from her guilt left her. No one was mad, they wanted her to go back. Right before she entered the time gate, she strained her neck to see her family on the balcony. Noel and Hope were waving with sad smiles on their faces. Serah was waving and smiling as well, but Snow had his arms wrapped around Serah's small waist as he gave his hero smile to Light.

She entered the time gate and allowed the metal circles to spiral around her. Closing her eyes, she kept the image of her family on the balcony burned in her mind. _I'll live on for all of you, I promise._

The felling of falling faded and Light felt herself being confined. She heard someone speaking, and though she could not make out the words, she knew the voice. Noctis was speaking. Light twitching her fingers and moved her arms slightly. She was in her own body, she was sure of it. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes.

* * *

A/N: All that's left is an epilogue. Thank you for reading and please review! Also, I hope you all like me, because I still have story ideas. That is, if you'd be willing to read them too.


	7. Epilogue: The End

Epilogue: The End

Lightning was temporarily blinded by the brightness of the room she was in upon opening her eyes. After a moment, her vision adjusted and she was able to see a distraught Noctis hovering over her.

When she met his eyes, his features relaxed slightly. His hand gently caressed her skin and left a tingling sensation in its wake. "Light…?" he asked, hesitance coating his voice.

"Were you expecting someone else?" was all Light had the chance to say before she felt Noctis's lips on her own. She would have been content to be in his arms for days, but they were interrupted by Ignis clearing his throat. The couple blushed furiously.

Noctis stood and helped Light up. She felt a bit disoriented after going through so many states of existence in such a short amount of time, so Noctis kept one arm around her waist and held her close to him. A part of Light told her that his action was as much for himself as it was for her.

Feeling a strange object on her left hand, Light brought her hand up and quickly found the source. The engagement ring from Noctis was on her finger. The white gold and diamonds reflected the light and gave the ring a seemingly eternal sparkle that refused to be dampened.

"So, will you marry me?" Noctis asked with a small grin, interrupting Light's appraisal of the ring.

Her icy blue eyes didn't seem so icy anymore. She felt lighter than she had in years. The majority of the guilt that she had placed upon herself had been lifted. "Yes."

She had never seen a smile so bright and genuine in her life.

* * *

She wanted a small wedding, just their friends and Noctis's father. Maybe a few of the servants, but that was stretching it. Noctis insisted on a big wedding, something the entire kingdom could look forward to.

That's how she ended up wearing a gown as white as Easter lilies with an elaborate rhinestone pattern that reflected every light that hit it. In her hands, she held a rather plain bouquet: red roses with five white ones mixed in. One white rose for each angel she was certain was watching her with a bright smile. She made her way down the aisle with a smile on her face. Noctis tried to give her heeled shoes to wear, but she wore her boots anyway. Not that he could argue, since she had relented to the idea of a large wedding.

Somewhere, among the crowd, Fang and Vanille watched. The two had decided to live a simple life together near the castle and would visit often. But right now, Light's attention wasn't on them or any of the wedding goers that stood as she made her way to the altar. No, her eyes were on the man in his black tuxedo that stood watching her with the same intensity her eyes held. At that moment, they were in their own little world. It was a far away place of bliss. Light's smile was a little wider.

They spent the majority of the ceremony focusing only on each other. Finally, the moment came where they said their 'I do's, neither of them had even a moment's hesitation in their answer. "I now present Mr. and Mrs. Caelum," announced the priest. "You may now kiss the bride."

They didn't have to be told twice and were in each other's arms within a moment. Noctis dipped Light low to the ground, earning more cheers from the attendants. The cheers didn't register with the couple. Right now, they were as happy as they had ever been. Right now, they were excited to start a new life.

* * *

Though his face held obvious pain, he did not let go of her hand. The gesture would have touched Light… if not for the excruciating pain she was in at the moment. "One last push!" cried a doctor.

With the strength she had left, Light did as she was told. Cries could be heard throughout the room. "Congratulations, it's a girl," proclaimed a smiling doctor as she held the new born baby, wrapped in a plain white blanket, to her father.

Light laid against the raised back of the hospital bed. Sweat poured down her face, but she still smiled at the sight of Noctis rocking their baby girl back and forth, mumbling unintelligible words.

When he looked at her, she could see the sheer joy in his lively eyes. She imagined those feelings were reflected in her own eyes, no matter how tired she was. "What should we name her?" Noctis asked in a hushed voice.

Light looked at the bundled baby in her husband's arms. She will grow and smile and laugh. She will be angry with them at times, but they would always give her the love she deserved. "Serah," Light replied, in an equally hushed voice.

_Another chance,_ she thought. The image of her family waving goodbye from the balcony presented itself in her mind. But she focused on two people: Serah, whom she knew she had failed to raise properly, and Hope, whom she never even expected to raise, but was somehow given the job anyway.

Smirking, Noctis commented, "You know, I kind of knew you were going to say that."

"Did you?" Light asked, though not particularly interested in his answer.

_I won't fail this time, I promise._

* * *

The smell of the fireplace wafted through the room. The crackling of the logs became background noise to the sound of children's laughter. Light and Noctis sat on a loveseat in the simply decorated, modest house they had retired to long ago. With their hands intertwined, they watched their grandchildren play like their parents once had.

After Serah, Light and Noctis had two more children. They had a boy and a girl, whom they named Cameo and Stella, respectively. All three were children with names of those who never had a true chance at life or were only shadows created for deception. They were names of people who deserved a second chance.

When Serah was old enough, Noctis passed the kingdom to her. He knew his son had other plans in mind. Cameo went to school and became a doctor, fulfilling his dream. After the kingdom was no longer his, Noctis and Light bought a small cottage and retired there to spend the rest of their days. It was simple, but they were happy as long as they were together.

Serah, Cameo, and Stella grew into adults that Light could not have been more proud of. All three married and had children of their own, whom they frequently took to visit their aging grandparents. Their house was full of love, and they would have it no other way.

Some days, they would baby-sit their grandchildren so the kids' parents could have some time to themselves. Oftentimes, Light or Noctis would tell the young children fantastic stories of the adventures they had. They would take about aunts and uncles whose faces would never be seen by the children. The look of wonder and curiosity in the youngsters' eyes warmed the elderly couple's hearts. Every trail they had been through was worth it.

* * *

A young girl with raven hair and icy blue eyes kneeled on the cold ground. Winter was coming and she had wrapped herself in a warm coat to combat the cold weather. She wouldn't be there long, just a moment or two.

With great care, the girl placed a bouquet on a cold, stone slab. As she traced over the names engraved with one, pale finger tip, tears dripped down her cheeks and she whispered to the ears that could no longer hear her.

"Sweet dreams, Grandma and Grandpa."

* * *

A/N: And here it is! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, it really makes writing worth it. Even though this fic is done, it doesn't have to be the end. I truly hope that all of you like my stories enough to read more of them, because I have quite a few ideas and a few in-progress stories.

Until next time, please review!


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